His grades dropped steadily. Regular headaches made it harder to study, so he couldn't say he was surprised. Still, the red 65 scribbled on his paper threatened to send him to a place he'd promised himself he would never visit again.

He set the paper down and put his head in his hands, heedless of Jungkook's concerned glances. He was tired, so tired of everything. Why did Yoongi have to come and ruin his life? Why did he have to live this way, anyway?

A small tune chimed through the speakers, and students around him stood, shoving books into bags and forming their small groups. Jimin looked up, slowly, and saw a familiar face in the doorway--no, two. Yoongi and Taehyung.

No. He couldn't let them corner him like this. Jimin bit his lip, standing quickly and slipping easily into one of the Omega groups. "Can I hide with you?" he whispered when they gave him frustrated looks.

One of the Omegas looked toward the doorway, and her mouth fell open in understanding. "They've been harassing you, haven't they?" she hissed. "It's fine, come here."

Jimin just sighed softly. "Thank you."

The Omega linked her arm with his, shooting him a wink. "I'm Seulgi."

"Jimin," Jimin mumbled back, trying to smile as they came closer to the doorway.

"Okay," Seulgi dropped her voice. "With the next group. Ready-- go!"

Three or four students left the classroom, and their group followed, surrounding Jimin casually and shooting glares at the two alphas. Jimin glanced back and saw Jungkook coming to the doorway, head hanging. He quickly turned back, only to stumble over his feet as a familiar pain rushed through his head.

"Why are you hiding from me?"

Seulgi shot him a sympathetic look as he hissed, and before he could completely fall to the floor she hauled him up, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"It'll be okay," she said. "You'll make it."

"Why?"

"I'm sorry," Jimin told her, gritting his teeth as his knees buckled. "It's not usually this bad--"

"Proximity," Seulgi said. "Piggyback?"

"Yes please," Jimin said, wincing as she stopped, bending down. Having to be carried was humiliating, but the other Omegas around him said nothing. A few of them even shot him looks like Seulgi's, full of pain and understanding. They stayed huddled together, passing other students and faculty without a fuss, until they reached the cafeteria, where Seulgi had to let him down.

As his feet hit the ground, pain exploded in his head, accompanied by a fury that wasn't his. He stumbled, then fell, pressing his lips together to suppress a sob of pain.

"Jimin?" Seulgi gasped, kneeling next to him, and the other Omegas pressed in. Jimin remembered seeing it, being a part of it before. It was a protective circle. Yoongi was close.

The foreign anger ripped through him, leaving him feeling raw and exposed. His arms shook as he struggled to stay up, collapsing into Seulgi. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her hands to his head as if attempting to shield him, but they both knew it was no use.

"Help me get him up," she said. "We'll have to get food in shifts today."

Multiple pairs of hands helped Jimin to his feet, multiple bodies pressing closer to him to hide him from outside eyes. Another male Omega gently guided Jimin's head to his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his waist as he guided him out of the room.

"You'll make it," Seulgi promised, wrapping his free hand in hers. "You'll make it. Just a little further--"

"How could he do that to you?"

Jimin closed his eyes as the anger ripped through him again, making his stomach churn. An image rose in his mind of a familiar face-- a beta he'd known for a few years before she'd mated with someone else. She looked confused, worried even. She hadn't known. Bile rose in his throat.

"Jimin!"

Jimin whimpered. When the anger broke over him again, he let out a cry, tilting forward. It was over. There would be no more escape. He felt the Omegas' hold on him changing, heard their cries of warning, but it seemed nothing could stop him from tumbling to the ground, hitting his head on the floor, and passing out.